Mail-bag rack.



H. H. SHULTS.

MAIL BAG RACK. APPL IOATION FILED AUG. 12, 1910.

U} W In 6 m w; 5 E u m m m 1 w,

H. H. SHULTS.

MAIL BAG RACK.

APPLIOATIOK FILED AUG. 12, 1910.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

- 3 SHEETSr-SHEET 2.

H. H. SHULTS.

MAIL BAG RACK. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12. 1910.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

HARRY H. SHUL'IS, OF CHERRY CREEK, NEW YORK.

MAIL-BAG RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1912.

Application filed August 12, 1910. Serial No. 576,834..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. SHuL'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cherry Creek, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail Bag Racks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mail bag racks.

One object of the invention is the provision of a mail bag rack which may be easily and compactly folded when it is desired to store or ship the same.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mail bag rack which may be so adjusted as to support the bag suspending frame thereof at various inclinations.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mail bag rack which shall be simple, durable and efiicient of construction, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a mail bag rack which shall be so constructed as to permit the elevation of the bag suspending frame to be varied.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a mail bag rack constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a View in end elevation of the rack. Fig. 3 is an end elevational View illustrating the manner in which the rack may be folded when it is desired to ship or store the same. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a portion of the intermediate side bar of the bag suspending frame, illustrating the application of the bag supporting hooks and the name plates. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated on the line 55 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on a plane extending vertically through one of the vertical supports illustrating the constructlon of the feet and the manner in which they are secured to the supports. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a slightly modified form of the rack. Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the upper portion of one end of the modified form of the rack. Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the lower portion of one end of the modified form of rack. Fig. 10 is a sectional view illustrating the means by which the front end of the bag supporting platform is supported, when the rack is in use. Fig. 11 is a top plan view of said means. Fig. 12 is a view in elevation of one of the hinges. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the meeting faces of the hinge members. Fig. 14 is a view illustrating the manner in which the parts connected by the hinge may be relatively adjusted. Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are diagrammatic views illustrating various ways in which the racks may be assembled about the assorting table. Fig. 18 isaview in side elevation of a further modified form of the rack. Fig. 19 is a sectional view illustrating the hinge employed in this form of rack. Fig. 20 is a view in end elevation of two rows of assembled racks, and Fig. 21 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane 2020 of Fig. 18, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, A designates a mail bag rack of rectangular form. The rack comprises a front support which consists of vertical bars 1 and 2 and a horizontal bar 3. The bar 3 is secured to the lower ends of the bars 1 and 2 and holds them in spaced relation. The bars are secured together by couplings 4. The rack also comprises a rear support which consists of vertical bars 5 and 6. To the upper ends of the bars 1, 2, 5 and 6 is hinged a bag supporting frame. The frame consists of end bars 7, a front side bar 8, a rear side bar 9, and an intermediate bar 10. The bars of'the bag supporting frame are connected together through the medium of couplings 11. The intermediate bar 10 is braced by arms 12 which are secured at their front ends to said intermediate bar by couplings 13 and at the rear ends to the rear side bar 9 by couplings 14:. To permit the upper ends of a plurality of mail sacks to be attached to the suspending frame, the bars 8, 9 and 10 of the frame are provided with hooks 15. The bars 9 and 10 of the bag suspending frame are also provided with name plates 16. By reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings it will be seen that the hooks 15 are secured to annular members 17 which surround the bars 8, 9 and 10. By reference to this figure it will also be seen that the name plates 16, which may be of any suitable construction, are secured to bars 9 and 10 by screws 18. The lower ends of the bags are adapted to rest upon a supporting platform, which, like the bag suspending frame, includes end bars 19, side bars and an intermediate bar 21. The bars are united by couplings 22. A centrally located brace bar 23 extends transversely of the bag supporting frame and is secured at its ends to the side bars 20 by couplings 24: and .at its center to the intermediate bar 21 by a coupling 25. The bag supporting frame also includes a plurality of slats 26' which extend transversely of the platform and which are secured at their ends to the side bars 20. At its rear side the bag supporting platform is hinged to the vertical bars 5 and 6, the front side of the platform being adapted to be supported by the bar In view of the fact that the bag suspending frame is hinged to the upper ends of the front and rear supports, and as the bag supporting platform is hinged at its rear side to the rear support and detachably connected at its front side to the front support, the rack may be folded in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It is desirable to fold the rack when it is not in use and also for the purpose of storage or shipment. The bag suspending frame and supporting platform are reinforced when in extended condition through the medium of arms 26 and 27 respectively. The arms 26 are pivotally se cured at their lower ends to the vertical bars 5 and 6, the upper ends of the arms being notched to receive pins 28 carried by the arms 12. The lower ends of the arms 27 are pivotally secured to the interm ediate bar 21 of the bag supporting platform and their upper ends are notched to receive pins 29 secured to the bars 1 and 2. The front side of the bag supporting platform is supported by hooks 30 which are carried by the bar 20 for engagement with the bar 3. The hooks 30 are secured to the bar 3 against accidental disconnection by lockhooks 31, which are pivotally mounted upon the hooks 30 for the engagement with the bar 3, fully disclosed in Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings.

The pivotal connection between the bag suspending frame and the upper ends of the bars 1 and 2 is established by hinges 32, and between the upper ends of the bars 5 and 6 by hinges 33. The pivotal connection between the bag supporting platform and the vertical supports 5 and 6 is established through the medium of hinges 34 and Each hinge consists of two members and each member comprises a shank 36 and a head 37. The members of each hinge are pivotally connected together by a pintle 38 which passes through the heads 37 and 37 One end of the pintle 38 is screw-threaded to receive the winged nut 39. The nut 39 may be adjusted upon the spindle 38 to permit lthe heads 37 and 37 to be adjusted laterally with relation to each other whereby to permit ribs 10, which are formed upon the inner face of the head 37, to be moved into or out of recesses 41 which are formed in the inner face of the head 37 The ribs and recesses 11 establish an interlocking connection between the heads 37 and 37 which connection prevents relative rotary movements of the heads upon the pintle 38, whereby to secure the rack in folded or extended condition. The hinge is illustrated in detail in Figs. 12, 13, and 1 1 of the drawings.

1V hen it is desired to fold the rack the arms 26 and 27 are thrown out of engage ment with the pin 28 and 29, respectively, and the heads 37 and 37 of the hinges are separated, after which the bag supporting platform is swung upwardly into engagement with the bars 5 and 6, and the bars 1 and 2 and the bag suspending frame are moved upwardly as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. After the rack has been folded, the nuts 39 are turned upon the pintles 38 to interlock the heads 37 and 37 and thus secure the members of the rack in folded condition. The manner in which the rack may be extended should be apparent. It should also be apparent that the hinges not only movably connect the parts of the rack, but also provide means by which the rack may be secured in folded or extended condition.

The bars 1, 2, 5 and 6 are provided at their lower ends with feet 42. By reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings it will be seen that each foot 42 comprises a threaded stem 43 and a base 44. The stems 43 have threaded engagement with the bars 1, 2, 5 and 6 whereby to permit the inclination of the bag suspending frame to be varied to suit the convenience of the user of the rack, and to permit the bag suspending frames of a series of racks to be positioned in an upwardly inclined plane in the manner shown in Fig. 20 of the drawings. The undersides of the bases 44 are curved to permit the rack to be easily moved from place to place.

The racks B and O disclosed in Figs. 7, 15 and 16, and 17 of the drawings differ from that disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and in that they are sector shape, such shape perbled in semi-circular formation about the assorting table, as disclosed in Figs. 15 and 16. These forms of the rack and that disclosed in Fig. 1 permit an assemblage of the racks in the manner disclosed in Fig. 17 of the drawings. The rack B also differs from that disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings in that the brace arms 27 of the bag supporting platform are pivotally secured at their upper ends to the bars 5 and 6,

mitting several of the racks to be assemtheir lower ends being notched for engagement with the pins 29 carried by the braces 23, and in that the pins 28*, which are engaged by the upper ends of the brace arms 26 of the bag suspending frame are carried by the rear side of the bar 9 as clearly shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings.

A further modification of the rack is disclosed in Figs. 18, 19 and 21 of the drawings, the modification residing in the construction of the hinges 45 by which the bag suspending frame is secured to the bars 1, 2, 5 and 6 and by which the bag supporting platform is secured to the supports 5 and 6. By reference to Figs. 19 and 21 of the drawings it will be seen that each of these hinges is of hollow T-shaped formation, that is to say each hinge comprises a hollow head 16 and a hollow body 47. The bodies 17 of those hinges which connect the bag suspending frame to the bars 1, 2, 5 and 6, receive the upper ends of said bars, and the heads 46 of the hinges receive the side bars 8 and 9 of the frame, as clearly shown in Figs. 18 and 19 of the drawings. To prevent the bag supporting frame from shifting longitudinally on the hinges, pins pass through the side bars 8 and 9 on opposite sides of the heads 46. The bodies 47 of those hinges which connect the bag suspending platform to the bars 5 and 6 receive the end bars 19 of the platform, and the heads 46 of these hinges receive a rod 418 carried by the bars 5 and 6 as fully disclosed in Figs. 18 and 21 of the drawings. Pins 49 pass through the bar 4.8 on opposite sides of the heads 46 and prevent the hinges from having any longitudinal movement on the bar.

The device constructed as above described is extremely simple and inexpen sive to manufacture, so that at a very slight expense a cheap rack may be given a very neat and attractive appearance, and it will be obvious from the above description the device is susceptible of considerable modification without material departure from the spirit and principles of the invention, for which reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact forms of the parts herein set forth.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. A mail bag rack comprising front and rear supports, a bag suspending frame hinged to the supports, a bar carried by the front support, a bag supporting platform hinged to the rear supports, hooks carried by the platform for engagement with said bar, lock-hooks carried by said first-named hooks for engagement with said bar, the hinged connection between the rack and platform and supports permitting the rack to be folded, and means adapted to secure the rack in either its folded or extended condition.

2. A foldable mail bag rack comprising front and rear supports, a bag suspending frame hinged to both supports, a bag supporting platform hinged to the rear support and having a detachable connection with the front support, and means adapted to secure the rack in either its folded or extended condition.

3. A foldable mail bag rack comprising front and rear supports, a bag suspending rack hinged to the supports, a bag support ing platform hinged to the rear supports and having a detachable connection with the front support, means adapted to secure the rack in either its folded or extended condition, and braces for the frame and platform when the rack is in extended condition.

4. A foldable mail bag rack comprising front supports, a bar secured to the supports, rear supports, a bag supporting platform hinged to the rear supports, means carried by the platform and engaging the bar, and a bag suspending frame hinged to the front and rear supports.

5. A foldable mail bag rack comprising front and rear supports, a bag suspending frame hinged to the supports, and a bag supporting platform hinged to one of the supports and having a detachable engagement with the other support.

6. A foldable mail bag rack comprising front and rear supports, a bag suspending frame hinged to the supports, a bag supporting platform hinged to one of the supports and having a detachable engagement with the other support, and means adapted to secure said platform to said other support against accidental disconnection there with.

7. A mail bag rack including a supporting platform which consists of end bars, side bars, an intermediate bar secured at its ends to the side bars, and relatively spaced slats extending across the intermediate bar and secured at their ends to the side bars.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY H. SHULTS. Witnesses:

FRED B. HOLCOMB, Gr. WAYNE LAPHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C. 

